Rev. John L. McCullough
Photo: T.Abraham/CWS |
From the Executive Director's Desk...
Cuba -- Re-membering the Body of Christ: Part
2
June 2007
By Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director and CEO, Church World
Service
Congress is considering legislation that would lift the 45-year travel ban to Cuba for all Americans. This is an encouraging and important development, as the proposed law would restore religious and other freedoms in the United States eroded by the ban and create the possibility for a more sensible regional future.
Biblical Inspiration
Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
Proverbs 8:1
Proverbs 8 is a poetic reminder that we must learn prudence, avoid pride and arrogance, and pursue knowledge and wisdom. Only with these qualities will rulers govern justly.
I suspect that you, like me, utter some modern-day version of the above question all too frequently. However, I am pleased to report that in at least one area of U.S. foreign policy, wisdom and understanding are starting to be heard. Both the House and the Senate are now studying bills that would end the travel ban to Cuba.
The harm to religious life and freedom
As I described in my January letter, the travel ban has virtually eliminated all academic and cultural exchanges, and severely curbed humanitarian and religious travel between our two nations.
For many years, U.S. church bodies, whether national, regional, or local, have been eligible to receive licenses to conduct religious travel to Cuba, and Cuban religious leaders have received visas to participate in religious events in the U.S. These two-way exchanges allowed us to work closely with partner churches and religious institutions to assist Cuban churches in their important faith witness.
Recent re-interpretations of U.S. government regulations have limited our ability to be full members of the global Christian community.
U.S. national and regional denominational bodies and religious organizations are now eligible only for very restricted travel licenses which means they can only send a few, limited in size, pre-authorized religious delegations to Cuba. These restrictions have hurt our and our member churches’ ability to engage in fellowship and co-ministry with Cuban Christians.
In addition, Cuban religious leaders’ requests for entry visas to the U.S. are frequently denied.
Possibilities Open in Washington
Like many U.S. religious leaders, I am deeply troubled by these restrictions. They are unfair and inappropriate, restrain religious freedom and reflect undue governmental interference in the exercise of religion.
In June I sent a letter along with Rev. Bob Edgar, the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, and 11 heads of member denominations and agencies to Senators and Members of the House of Representatives asking them to act decisively to restore the right of all Americans to travel to Cuba. We urged them to support the “ Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2007” (S 721) in the U.S. Senate and the “Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2007”(HR 654) in the House.
Also in June Church World Service led a delegation of church officials from U.S. Christian denominations and ecumenical organizations to meet with key lawmakers on Capitol Hill to garner support for this legislation.
Since then additional legislation has been introduced. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-New York), along with U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), introduced the "Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2007,” which aims to boost agricultural trade with Cuba and to lift the U.S. ban on travel.
Congress should not pass up this opportunity to marshal a decisive and bi-partisan accomplishment that signals a return to fundamental freedoms and the transition to a more reasoned diplomatic approach to Cuba. I encourage you to join me in this effort by contacting your elected representatives today.
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